Bauerlein argues that because of the wide usage of online gaming sites and social media outlets, today’s youth has no background in history or critical thinking. This loss of valuable life skills makes them vulnerable to repeating past mistakes. The internet provides an
exorbitant amount of information, and anyone under 20 has grown up with a screen of some sort
in front of them. Instead of sitting down and reading the content of a book or paper, the current generation simply skims the basics. Critics argue that this makes the younger generation adept at filtering the information and easily weeding out the unnecessary bits they don’t need.
When UT student Marianne Galaris was asked about Bauerlein’s hypothesis, she was concerned. “Are younger generations adapting to all that?…Technology is introduced to them as a learning tool from so young. I’d say this could really depend heavily on how much time the parents allow the kids to spend playing video games instead of getting their sleep before school or doing homework.”
Many students might recognize that games such as Doom or World of Warcraft
require a certain amount of analyzation to pass onto the next level. Many popular multi-player
games have problem-solving at their very core. Being engaged in the community used to be part of everyday life, but even today we see television commercials where playing with your friends involves sitting in front of the TV.
Bauerlein’s research suggests that this generation has more schooling, money, leisure and access to news than any other generation. Two-thirds aren’t proficient readers, can’t operate a voting ballot, and spend two to four hours per day playing video games. He calls people under thirty, “the nation of know-nothings.”
Faculty, staff, and students are invited to come listen to Dr. Bauerlein speak and take part in the
conversation Friday Sept. 16. Bauerlein received his Ph.D from UCLA in 1988 and has
taught at Emory University since 1989.
HAHAHA Ive been saying this for years. I’ll be there!